asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he has considered or evaluated the possibility of Bord na Móna taking over control and management of State forests; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

No. As the Deputy knows, I set up a representative review group last year to examine the present structure, organisation and operation of the Forest and Wildlife Service of my Department with a view to ensuring that the country's afforestation programme is developed and exploited to the best national advantage. I expect to receive the group's final report and recommendations very shortly and until these have been examined it would not be appropriate to consider what changes in the present organisation, if any, are necessary.

Is the Minister aware that he himself has circumvented the working of that committee and already the committee are in total disarray? There has been a resignation——

That is not a question.

——of a very popular member of that committee.

That is not a question. It is a statement.

Does the Minister seriously believe that we will take this type of reply from him? The Minister knows the committee are in total disarray, that there is total chaos and they cannot get their final report together.

It is not a question. Ceist 52.

I must move on to the next question.

In reply to the allegation that this committee have disbanded and are in disarray——

There has been a resignation by one of the main members of the committee.

If a person resigns from a committee, that is his or her business. As far as I am concerned the committee have now completed their deliberations and have signed the report.

Since when?

Last week.

Ceist 52. Táimid ag dul ar aghaidh leis na ceisteanna ar sonnraíodh uainn dóibh.